Trousers-supporter.



No. 706.493? Patented Aug. 5, I902.

- L. o. MILLER.

TROUSERS SUPPOHTER.

(Application filed Nov. 8,4901.) (No Model.)

1min

THE ncnms wzvms cow, PHOTO-MING wnsumsrou a. c.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIAN O. MILLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TaousEas-sueroarnn.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersiPatentNo. 706,493, dated August 5,1902.

Application filed NovemherB, i901. seam... 81,540. ma a.)

This invention relates to certain improve ments in trousers-supporters,andhas for its object to provide a device of this character of a simpleand inexpensive nature and of a strong and durable construction adaptedfor supporting the trousers from the hips or waist of the wearer, so asto avoid all strain upon the shoulders and upper part of the body, thedevice being at the same time completely hidden within'the trousers, soas to be invisible when the coat and vest are removed.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction,combination, and arrangement of the several parts'of the improvedtrousers-supporter whereby certain important advantages are attained andthe device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted andmore convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth. Thenovel features'of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying'drawings,which serve to illustrate my invention,Figure 1 is a per spective view showing a fragment of the waist portionof a pairof trousers provided with a supporter constructed according tomy invention. Fig. 2 is a partial view drawn to a larger scale andshowing one of the adj ustable hip-pads forming part of the improved.trousers-supporter. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing theouter surface of the slide on which the hip-pad is carried. Fig. 1 is asectional view taken through'the hip-pad in the plane indicated by theline ct a in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detached detail view showing one of thecatch-plates forming part of the improved trousers-supporter anddesigned for attachment to the trousers. Fig. 6 is a face view showingdetached one of the adjustable slides for engagement with saidcatch-plates, and Fig. 7 is an end view showing said adjustable slide.

In the views, 1 indicates a Waist belt or band formed of a thin andflattened strip of inner side thereof, and being provided with a headedstud or projection 3, designed to take through said keyhole slots oropenings and ,to lock thereinfor holding the band or belt securely'inposition about the wearers waist. 4 indicates a keeper held to slide onthe band or belt 1 and adapted to take over the lapped ends thereof whenslipped along the band. i i

. 5 5 indicate pads arranged at opposite sides of the device anddesigned when the band or belt 1 :is passed about the waist to restlightly upon the 'hipsofthe wearer, the said pads having theirforwardjend portions 6 made thicker than their rear portions, so thatwhen the band 1 is in place about the waist the forward part of saidband is held forward and is prevented from bearing uncomfortably uponthe abdomen. The pads 5 are carried upon slide-plates 7, curved toconform to the curvature of the band or belt 1 and provided at theirends-with loops 8 8, through which the said band-or beltl is passed. Thepads 5 are held to the slide-plates 7 by means of stitches 9, passedthroughthe edge portions of the pads and through openings in theslideplates, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Each of the slide-plates 7is also provided with a centrally-arranged loop 10 upon its outer side,through which loop the band or belt 1 is also passed, and said loops 10carry on their outer sides central studs 12, having transversely orhorizontally elongated heads or enlargements 13, adapted for engagementin keyhole slots or openings 14, produced in catch-plates 15, secured tothe inside of the trousers, near the waistband thereof, by means ofstitches or otherwise, there being usually four of these plates 15, oneeach at front and back and one at each side of the trousers. Theenlarged ends 16 of the openings 1 1 in catch-plates are of a width andlength sufficient to permit the enlargements or heads 13 of the studs onloops 10 to pass through the openings for engagement with ordisengagement from the catch-plates 'when the said plates are turned ortwisted a quarter-turn from their normal vertical positions, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5; but normally the length of eachelongated head 13 is extended transversely of the slot or opening 14, inwhich it is engaged, so that when said heads are engaged in the slotsthey may not be accidentally disengaged therefrom. Each catch-plate 15is provided with three of the keyhole slots or openings 14, arranged invertical series one above another, so that the belt or band 1 may beadjusted up or down with respect to the waistband of the trousers toraise or lower the trousers. The studs 12 on loops 10 are designed forengagement with catch-plates at opposite sides of the trousers,and atfrontand back the band or belt 1 carries slides 11, bent from sheetmetal to the form shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7, which slides areadjustable along the band or belt 1 and are also provided with headedstuds 12, similar to the headed studs on the loops 10, and are adaptedfor engagement with the catch-plates at front and back of the trousers.As stated, the slides 11 are in themselves adjustable along the band orbelt 1 in order to accommodate the device for dilferent persons; but itwill also be seen that the loopslO, are also adjustable for a similarpurpose by movement of the slides 7along the band or belt 1.

In order to prevent the side portions of the band or belt 1 from cuttingor chafing the hips in case it should rest thereon outside the pads 5, Iprovide the pads with loose flaps or extensions 17,which depend beneaththe pads, as indicated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4:, and are interposed betweenthe lower edges of the slideplates and belt or band 1 and the hips ofthe wearer. These extensions are formed, as herein shown, of doubledportions of the material employed for covering the pads 5.

From the above description it will be seen that the device is of anextremely simple and inexpensive nature and is especially well adaptedfor use, since it is entirely hidden Within the trousers and supportsthe trousers from the waist and hips, leaving the shoulders and upperpart of the body perfectly free fromstrain and interfering in no waywith free movement of the body. The device is also of such a nature asnot to interfere with the removal of the trousers, it being onlynecessary when the trousers are to be removed to release the lapped endsof the band or belt 1 at. the front, whereupon the trousers may bereadily removed without requiring the catch-plates to be disengaged fromthe loops 10 and slides 11. The construction of the pads 5 is also suchthat the band or belt 1 is prevented from hearing uncomfortably upon theabdomen or from resting too tightly upon and chafing the loins, so thatthe muscles of the back are in no way interfered with. It will also beobvious from the above description that the device is capable of somemodification without material departure from the principles and spiritof the invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several partsof the device herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a trousers-supporter,the combination of a band or belt adapted to be passed about the waist,plates adapted for attachment inside the trousers, and slides havingloops embracing and movable along said band or belt and provided withpads adapted torest upon the hips of the wearer, one loop of each slidehaving means for detachable engagement with one of said plates forsupporting the trousers from said band or belt, substantially as setforth.

2. Ina trousers-supporter, the combination of a band or belt adapted tobe passed about the waist and provided with means for attachment to thetrousers and slides having pads adapted to rest upon the hips of thewearer, said pads having loose extensions below the slides and adaptedto be interposed between the person and the lower edges of the slidesand said band or belt, substantially as set forth.

3. In a trousers-supporter, the combination of a band or belt adapted tobe passed about the waist, slides having loops embracing and movablealong said band or belt, a headed stud on the outer side of one loop ofeach slide, pads on the slides and adapted to rest on the hips of thewearer and catch-plates adapted for attachment inside the trousers andprovided with openings in which said headed studs are adapted to beengaged, sub- 7 stantially as set forth.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio,

November, 1901.

LUOIAN O. MILLER.

this 4th day of Witnesses:

O. R. Ross, J OHN ELIAS J ONES.

